Garden's Bounty

Our garden is giving up it's bounty now. Perhaps almost too fast for me to collect, process and eat.

Wonderful, shiney, purple eggplants. The plants have many more growing and hopefully the weather cooperates so we can feast on them for a long time.

Already had Eggplant Parmagian, now I am thinking Moussakka might be nice one evening this coming week.

Lots of green peppers. We used some in our breakfast omlets this morning. I did wash, clean and slice about 10 of them for the freezer. They are wonderful in soups, stews, spaghetti sauce and lasagna. A little taste of summer in the winter.

The last of the yellow wax beans. Frozen and ready for use during the winter. We did save a bowlful for supper tonight.

A large bowl of carrots. There is still more in the garden to eat. Plan on using some tomorrow for supper.

These are peeled, sliced, and blanched. Now I just have to put them into freezer bags.

Looks as if we are going to be well stocked for this winter. I love having my own fresh veggies (well almost fresh) to use in the cold, dark winter.

Well off to visit all of you. Everyone have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Long Days

First off a couple of photo's of my new classroom. It is such a different atmosphere this year. The room is neat and tidy, no clutter at all. The teacher is much more organized which helps a great deal with the students I am hired to help with.

The young student I was hired to work with initially will not be coming back for awhile if ever this year. It seems that he has gotten a bit violent over the last week and Mom is afraid that he may do something to one of the teachers or another student. They (parents, teachers and mental health) are trying to get him a placement in a special school in the capital. I really feel for all those involved as M is a real sweetie when not getting new meds or facing something new.

I am finding it difficult to get back into the swing of full time work and full time housekeeping. It seems as if I no sooner get home than it is time to start supper.

Tonight was something quick and easy, Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup and Egg Salad Sandwiches.

I think I may be pulling out the slow cooker very quickly this year.

The green beans are finished in the garden. I did up the last bags for the freezer last night. Now to just get through the yellow wax beans! I am hoping to pull and freeze the remaining carrots tomorrow.

Off to visit you all.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. God bless.

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's Off To Work I Go

Well tomorrow is my first work day of the school year.

I think I have all my supplies ready! Guess I will know for sure what I am missing tomorrow. I can always pick up a few things from the supply cabinet at the school.

As far as I know I will be working with the same student that I did last year. Things do change though, and as the parents are trying to get a placement for him in a special school I will be playing a waiting game.



This is a picture of the sweater pattern I am thinking of making for the men in my life. I just have to search through my yarn stash to see if I have anything suitable to use. If not.......shopping time!!!




Well, I want an early night tonight so I am bright eyed and bushy tailed when we finally meet our new principal tomorrow.

Off to visit all of you. Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Weekly Doings

Well, it has been a week since I posted. Where has the time gone!

It is hard to believe that the summer is almost over and I will be heading back to work the middle of next week.

I was sick for a day this week, lack of sleep, headache and aching body. I am feeling much better now and more able to face the fact that I am no longer as young as I once was.

On the days that I was feeling great I was busy in the garden. Today I picked a basket of cucumbers. Thank heavens Harvey plans on taking some of these to work with him tomorrow. I made double batches of pickles and relish last year and really do not need to make any this year.

Finished off the two sweaters I was working on to use up my yarn stash. I probably won't get to wear them very much before the cool weather hits, but there is always next year.

I started another one that I would like to get done in the next couple of weeks. A nice bright red one..... wonder if I can wear them as vests this winter.


This upcoming week will see me doing a bit more out in the garden. Carrots need to be harvested and prepared for the winter, potatoes are ready to be dug up, and more herbs need to be dried. Should be a busy week.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. I am off to visit everybody.

God bless.

Kitchen Duty Called

First off I will post a picture of the moonflower bloom from last night. It wasn't as open as they usually get but it was pretty cold last night and that could have had something to do with it. Looking closely at the plant I think I see the start of a few more buds. Hope it stays warm enough for them to mature.

Today was another busy one blanching and freezing vegetables for the winter. I managed to get the last of the blueberries into the freezer as well. I just thinned the carrots out a bit and still managed to get three bags for the freezer and enough for supper tonight as well. Of course there was the saga of the never ending beans as well.....two bags of yellow beans rest in my freezer and 4 bags of green beans.

Then this afternoon while listening to TV (I get tired of the absolute silence after awhile and talking to oneself is frowned on) I finished cutting out the denim quilt patches that I started last night. I now have a sister in law dropping old jeans off for me to use. Means I should be kept pretty busy cutting quilt patches over the next little while.

I hope all of you are having a wonderful evening. Off to visit.

God bless.

Look What I Found

Yesterday I was looking at my Moonflower, despairing of ever getting a blossom on it this year. Finally my gaze wondered to the bottom of the plant.

Look a bud! Hidden at the bottom in the back of the plant.

This evening it is starting to open. While it won't be as big as last years showing I am happy to be getting anything at all considering the weather we have been having.

I hope to get a picture of the full bloom tonight and post it tomorrow.

Right now it looks as if another storm is moving in. Seems as if the sun has decided to move east for awhile, sure hope she comes back.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. I'm off to visit all of you now.

God bless.

Finally A Breather

Wow, it has been a busy week or two here in the Phillips house. Three weeks ago my washer broke down and I had to shop for a new one. After hearing so much about front loaders and the savings involved I ordered one and it arrived on Wednesday.Here is a picture of my new toy. I love how quickly I can get my washing done now and believe me 3 weeks of washing in one day is no mean feat. I just can't believe how little water these machines use.

Then of course the garden produce has started to come in with a vengence.

I spent 5 hours one afternoon boiling beets and getting them sliced and in the freezer. They are finished now and boy am I glad. I didn't have to pickle any as last year I made enough to last two years.

Of course at the same time I was trying to keep up with the beans. I did manage it with just a little hair pulling.

The cherries got ripe and so it was on to making cherry jam.

Then my sister in law called and said the chokecherries were ripe and it was time to pick them. Chokecherry jelly was next on my list of preserves.

Today a friend dropped off about 5 quarts of blueberries. What is a girl supposed to do! Of course! Make jam and freeze the rest.

All done now thank heavens.

Tomorrow it will be beans again and more than likely more cucumbers and perhaps a green pepper or two.

Well off to visit you all. Everyone have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Outside Clock

I just had to share this picture of our clock with all of you. For years I wanted a clock outside (why I don't really know, but for some reason I need to know the time) and when my brothers gave me this clock for Christmas one year, well outside it went.

We have only changed the batteries in it once and are amazed at how well it keeps time. We don't bring it in over the winter so rain or shine, sleet or snow the clock keeps right on ticking. It keeps me from spending way to long outside in the sun, and helps me to keep appointments year after year.

It reminds me of God. Always there, always steady leading me to where I need to be. Helping me to realize that my faith is built on rock.

Off to visit all of you. Everybody have a wonderful afternoon.

God bless.

Colour, Colour, I Love Colour

My lilies are in full bloom. These orange ones have taken over my perennial bed, guess I will have to thin them out soon.

These lovely double Impatience hang by my back door.

This year I really tried to keep to a colour theme with my baskets and boxes. Seems to have worked very well. Shades of pink or white surround my home.

Pink lilies in my perennial bed.

Pink mini roses greet friends on our deck.

And peachy pink sunsets given by God to enjoy each and every night.

Well off to visit all of you.

Everyone have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Pickles In A Bucket and More

Today I decided to make Pickles In A Bucket. Kind of a misnomer as they are made in an ice cream pail. They take very little time to make and taste so good after about a week stored in the fridge. I used up 5 of my larger cucumbers.

Pickles In A Bucket

4 cups sugar

2 cups white vinegar

2 tbsp coarse salt (pickling salt)

1 tsp tumeric

1 tsp celery seed

1 tsp mustard seed

Mix all of the above in an ice cream pail (4 qt or 4 l depending on if you live in the U.S. or Canada). Stir well.

1 large red pepper cut in slices

1 large green pepper cut in slices

1 large onion sliced

5 cups thinly sliced cucumbers with peel

Add the remaining ingredients to fill bucket to level of liquid. Let stand 2 hours. Stir. It will shrink down a bit so you may be able to add a few more cucumber slices. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.

We put this plastic owl into the cherry trees to try and keep the birds from eating all the cherries. I think they are getting a bit suspicous as I had to chase a few out of the tree. Wonder if it would help to move our friend around a little bit.

Remember the tiny little Moonflowers I planted. Well I have lots of green vines now, but no blossoms as of yet. Sure hope some appear soon, the summer is drawing to an end.

Well off to visit you all now.

Everyone have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Redesigning The Fire Pit

Harvey and I took a good look at the area around our fire pit last night. It definitely needed some work. So today I gave the bench a coat of paint or two, moved some things around and we came up with this.

I sprayed the rocks with weed killer, moved the bench so all my flowers and plants are visible, and all that is left to do is move some of the bricks on the fire pit. It is so nice to finally have it the way we want it. Harvey is planning on extending the graveled area a bit so there is more room for another bench or even a couple of chairs. That might be our job for this weekend, providing it does not rain.

I am off to visit all of you now.

Hope you all have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Working in the Garden and Yard

I had promised last week to post a picture of the finished bench. We moved it from the front yard due to thefts to the back and placed it under the cherry trees. I have sat here a couple of times while resting from working in the garden. Nice and shaded. Hopefully I will be able to make a couple of nice cushions to make it a bit more comfortable for reading in the afternoon shade.

This is a picture of some of the cherries on one of our trees. I am having a great deal of fun keeping the robins out of the tree. While I don't mind sharing, Robins have a habit of just pecking every single cherry.

Tomatoes ripening on the vine. They are a bit later than normal this year due to the colder temperatures we have been having. I am sure they will taste great though.

Some of the beets that I managed to freeze for this winter, earlier in the week. I used the beet leaves for supper that night. Harvery loves beet greens! Me, well I can take them or leave them.

It seems as if every second day I am either picking beans or peas. I have managed to get a few packages frozen for winter use. Hopefully there will be a great many more. It really helps keep the grocery bill down in the winter. It always surprises me how much frozen vegetables cost.

Harvey has been busy getting my rain barrel set up. I think he went way to large, but as he says he works in the oil patch and nothing is small there. Here is a picture of the barrel so far. We still need a tap and a overflow hose of some kind.

This thing is 300 gallons! Should hold enough rain water to last a long time.

Well off to visit all of you. Everyone have a wonderful evening.

God bless.